The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-01-26
Vermont and the Fisheries.

American fishermen living along the Ver-
mont and New York shores of the lake are
considerably stirred mp over the sudden alb
rogation by the Dominion government of
the fishery " treaty." or agreement which
has existed during the past two years be-
tween this state and Canada. The question
of the protection of fish is again made a
prominent issue for discussion by the recent
action of the Canadian authorities in grant
ing licences for seine fishing for the year
1857 in that portion of the lake lying in the
Province of Quebec and known as Missis-
quot Bay The Canadian fishing grounds
extend about five miles north of parallel
fOrty-fve and embrace some twenty-five
square miles. The anomalous spectacle is
now presented of Canadian fishermen draw
ing seines on Lake Champlain just north of
an imaginary boundary line, while just
south thereof our fishermen are prohibited
from using nets. Americans cannot go into
Canadian waters for seine fishing even now,
for they are Disseminated against and I'M
less sharp lookout is kept on the willy
" Kanuck ~ he may run over into our waters
of the lake and set his nets. The legal bar
riers against seine fishing in the Canadian
waters of the lake having been broken
down wholesale destruction of fish will
soon begin. Already the Missisquoi Bay
fishermen are setting their mammoth nets
preparatory to making the big hauls of fish
which natural causes give them during the
winter and spring months, Many OF the
nets used by the Canadians are from eighty
TO one hundred rods long; and are set under
the ice at this season. Fish can now be
caught by the carload by persons holding
licences from the Canadian authorities and
shipped into Vermont and New York free
of duty for immediate consumption. New
York is equally interested with us in the
question of protecting the fish in the lake,
the laws of that state having been changed
to conform to our law of 1884 through the
efforts of Fish Commissioner Brainerd OF
St. Adams who went to Albany to effect the
desired legislation during the session OF
1SS5.-ForbeS, in Boston journal.
Our Yankee fishermen from their homes
on Hog Island can look over Missisquoi Bay
and see the Canadians cutting ice ana plac-
ing the reels preparatory to 1shlng Most
of the nets are now in readiness, and as
soon as the weather moderates a little, Ii
censed net fishing will begin in earnest.
Then the Canadian pungs will make regular
trips TO Alburgh and ROuses Point, loaded
with bass and pike 10 be shipped to the New
York market. There is no duty on the fish
and the returns are large, particularly for
early catches Before spring is gone a
goodly number of Kanuck pocket books
will be swelling with Yankee greenbacks
gained by net fishing, protected as it is
by the Dominion government. This can
but be eXasperating TO our people OF the
Island. They know that the very fish
caught by the Canadian seines and shipped
back to us, come from the Yankee waters OF
Lake Champlain and have passed 10y Their
doors along the shore 1t was just this
provocation that led the fishermen to OPP
pose the officers two years ago wnen RAID
was made on those engaged III hshlng' Inc
proVocation is great, but we trust our nsh-
ermen will not allow themselves TO do any
illegal act, but will keep cooi ana see II
right and justice will not prevail,--SWdnton
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